Firefighters Take Steps to Fight Heart Disease

Posted: May 27, 2016

Monterey City Firefighters are the first firefighters in Monterey County
to benefit from a unique program that determines if they have early signs
of heart disease. About 70 Monterey City Firefighters are getting heart
calcium scans at Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System’s Ryan
Ranch Center for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging. The project is spearheaded
by the non-profit Family Heart Foundation and supported by Salinas Valley
Memorial Healthcare System and Monterey County Fire Departments.

“We appreciate the community collaboration and support from Salinas
Valley Memorial and the Family Heart Foundation,” says Monterey
Fire Chief Gaudenz Panholzer. “Firefighters have to take care of
themselves and their health so they can help others. Thanks to these scans
they will know if they are at risk of developing heart disease and can
start making the necessary changes to their health, diet, and lifestyle.”

Family Heart Foundation selected Ryan Ranch Center for Diagnostic Imaging
to help with the firefighter project. The Toshiba Aquilion one 320-slice
CT at the Center for Diagnostic Imaging scans the entire heart in one
rotation, in one heartbeat, exposing patients to 80 percent less radiation
than a traditional coronary CT scan.

“Our advanced technology detects the presence of calcium deposits
and cholesterol plaque in the coronary arteries before there are any signs
or symptoms of heart disease,” Salinas Valley Medical Clinic cardiologist,
Christopher Oh, MD. “The results give people the opportunity to
change their lifestyle and behavior and can save lives.”

H. Robert Superko, MD of the non-profit Family Heart Foundation has been
working with firefighters for years to call attention to the risk firefighter’s
face. Dr. Superko was lead author of a Federal Emergency Management Agency
funded study that brought to light the risks facing firefighters. He says
firefighters have 200-300% more heart disease than other professions and
that 75% of firefighters have their heart attack on the way to a fire,
fighting a fire, or on the way back after a fire.

“The incidence of subclinical heart disease in firefighters was unknown
until we did the federal study,” says the Founder of Family Heart
Foundation, H. Robert Superko, MD. “Coronary artery calcification
is the primary way we determine if the firefighter has subclinical disease.
It is exciting to offer these scans to local firefighters.”

Raul Pantoja is one of the dozens of Monterey firefighters to take part
in the project. “I am 36 years old and I want to know the health
of my heart,” says Monterey firefighter Raul Pantoja. “It's
important to detect any problems early for the sake of my family and the
community I serve.”

As many as 300 firefighters are expected to participate in the program,
with the next phase focusing on Salinas firefighters. The Coronary Calcium
Scan is available to the public. More information can be found at
www.svmh.com/heartriskscore